Cupcakes
by MsAnimanga
Summary: Maura comes home to find that someone has made a mess in the kitchen. Written for day 22 of my Drabble Challenge.


**This was written for my Season 2 Countdown Challenge, the prompt was "Chocolate". This is kind of fluffy. Sort of AU/future-esque. Yeah. Enjoy?**

Maura walked up the driveway, exhausted from a trying day at work. A late autopsy had kept her from driving home with Jane, and she was relieved to be home. She slipped off her heels upon entering the foyer, and quietly placed them by the door.

A sudden crash and an "oh crap!" pulled her toward the kitchen.

"Jane, is everything all right?" The ME scurried into the kitchen, crossing her arms as she took in the scene before her.

Jane smiled innocently, holding a chocolate covered four-year-old with a similar expression on her face.

"Hi, Mommy. We're making pupcakes." The small brunette girl buried her face in her Mama's dark curls, stifling her giggles.

"Are you, now?" Maura eyed the chocolate splattered bowl on the counter, and the wooden spoon in Jane's hand. It was eerily clean, save for a few specks of chocolate on the handle.

"Mama let me lick the spoon!" the girl declared, following her Mommy's gaze.

"Good idea, Astrid, give her more of a reason to kill me." Jane stuck her tongue out at the child, earning another giggle fit.

"Did she, Astrid? Even after Mommy told her that eating the batter with raw egg in it can make you very sick?" Maura frowned as Astrid's mouth clamped shut. She didn't want to get her Mama into any more trouble.

"Yeah…I didn't….uh. The cupcakes got a little messy." Jane explained, setting Astrid on the counter.

"I can see that, sweetie. How exactly did that spatula get on the floor?" Maura queried, moving to wet a washcloth to wipe her daughter down.

"Uh…Astrid thought that Joe wanted to try the batter, and…'" Maura raised an eyebrow at her wife, settling a fist on her hip.

"You let the dog lick the spatula?" Maura squeaked, shaking her head as Jane grinned again in confirmation.

"I swear, Jane, I can't leave you two alone for five minutes…" Maura attempted to clear some of the chocolate batter from Astrid's soft cheeks, kissing the squirming girl's nose when she was clear of the chocolate.

"Joe twied to share wif Bass, Mommy." Astrid clasped her hands behind the ME's neck, pulling and willing her to lift her up from the counter.

Maura lifted Astrid into her arms. She would certainly have to have this dress dry cleaned, immediately. Her usual dry cleaner had grown accustomed to seeing mud, paint, jelly, peanut butter (often accompanied by fluff), and an array of other messes on her clothing the past few years.

"You, my little pastry chef, are going to need a bath. You and your Mama managed to get chocolate in your hair." Maura gave Jane a pointed look that told her that she would be helping with bath time.

"But Maur, the cupcakes…" Jane all but whined, and the little girl in the ME's arms squirmed, scrunching her nose.

"I don't wanna take a baf, Mommy." Even as she fidgeted in Maura's arms, the three moved down the hall, entering the bathroom.

"Honey, go pick out your pajamas for the night while Mama and I start your bath, okay?" Maura set their daughter down, kissing the top of her head before she trudged solemnly to her room.

The ME turned to look at Jane, who was quietly turning the bath on, testing the water with her elbow.

"Jane." Maura breathed, not entirely upset with the woman.

"I know, Maura, I know. I'm sorry, we were just…come on, you can't be mad." Jane sat on the edge of the tub, a ducky in her hand and a hopeful look on her face.

"I'm not mad, Jane." Maura sighed, pulling a few toys from Astrid's toy bucket and dropping them into the tub with a _plop_. She took a gentle seat next to Jane, careful not to crease her already stained dress.

"Are you sure? Is it the chocolate? I was hoping you wouldn't get angry if we made chocolate cupcakes, you usually can't get mad when I give you chocolate." Maura chuckled at Jane's admission, splashing her lightly.

"Hey, it's not _my_ bath time!" Jane scowled, splashing the ME in revenge and grabbing her around the waist before they could tumble into the tub.

"I'm not sure if you recall, Jane, but your first chocolate attempt did not pacify me. Gold-flecked chocolate wasn't what made me forgive you." Maura poked the brunette, smirking at the memory.

"Huh…I know, but…I thought a chocolate covered toddler might work better." The grin on Jane's face was delightful. The detective was correct, of course, Astrid was just too adorable with chocolate on her face, and her Mommy didn't have the heart to scold them too heavily.

"You are devious, Jane Rizzoli. And she is not the only with chocolate in her hair, I might add." Maura flicked a brunette lock, turning to the door when a smaller brunette sauntered in with a triumphant grin on her face.

"I got my jammies, Mommy." Her little hand held up her tortoise footy pajamas, her favorite pair as of late.

"It's about time, I was ready to send out a search party, little turtle." Jane stood, picking up the rowdy toddler and holding her in the air.

"Tortoise, Mama."

Maura's light laughter matched that of Astrid's, accented by Jane's sharp sigh.

"Yeah, yeah, everybody laugh at Mama. Ha ha. It's bath time for the _tortoise_, then." Jane stuck her tongue out at Astrid, tickling her lightly before setting her down again.

"Tortoises live on land. Bass is a tortoise. Bass lives in his box…" Astrid explained these things to her parents as they prepared for bath time, growing exasperated when the words did not distract them enough to get her out of it.

Once Astrid was settled- after a near fiasco when the cupcakes nearly burned- Jane and Maura went off to bed, curling comfortably in their usual places.

"Jane?" Maura whispered before they drifted fully into sleep.

"Uh huh?" The brunette mumbled.

"You still have chocolate in your hair." The ME chuckled, turning and kissing her detective gently on the nose.

"You're not funny. See if I share my cupcakes with you now." Jane pulled her closer, kissing her softly before pressing their foreheads together.

"You will. If you want those fudge clusters that I brought you…"

"Fudge clusters?" The detective's eyes popped open at the mention of the couple's favorite candy.

"We can't eat them until tomorrow, Jane, it's late. Let's get to sleep, you've had quite a busy day, and don't forget that you need to clean the rest of the kitchen."

Jane dreaded the thought- she did not want to think about getting chocolate cupcake batter off of the ceiling fan.

Maura's sudden kiss dispelled the thought, however. The trace of chocolate left on Jane's lips was pleasant upon the ME's tongue. After a few heated kisses, they burrowed into the covers once again, and tumbled into a gentle sleep.

Jane woke the next morning with a craving for Maura and cupcakes.


End file.
